Grappa: why so expensive?

jmcquown said:

If Grappa is made from 'leftovers', why is it so expensive? Is this what I would have called in
the 1980's a 'yuppie trend' ?

I'd say you nailed it. I payed about $20 (yes, cutsie bottle) for just a few ounces so I could see
what's what. I asked the young clerk why so expensive. He said, "I don't know. Tastes like gasoline,
to me". Took it home. Drank it. Yep ...gasoline!

SFBA foodies gush over it. Give me a martini.

nb

On Sat, 6 Dec 2003 04:31:34 -0600, "jmcquown" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I read online Grappa is made from the crushed skins of leftover grapes, stems and seeds from the
wine pressing. I also read it helped grape farmers financially get through poor harvests. However,
yesterday while I was out at lunch, a friend and I stopped in a new wine/liquor store and we saw
some Grappa in really cool mini bottles on a glass tray selling for $169.99. I'm not sure, but I
think it was French, not Italian, even though it was still called Grappa. The regular sized bottle
next to this pretty display was $79.99.

If Grappa is made from 'leftovers', why is it so expensive? Is this what I would have called in the
1980's a 'yuppie trend' ?

Jill (not thinking of buying Grappa)

If it had been French, it would have been called 'Marc de [wherever]' not Grappa. Regular-size
bottles of grappa and marc cover a wide range of prices reflecting what they can get for them, just
like whiskey, cognac, etc. Usually age is a significant cost factor.

I once paid an outrageous price for a US grappa. It was a grappa of Zinfandel from Germain-Robin,
which makes some very nice brandies at reasonable prices. This one was in the high forties for a
half-bottle.

I sipped it at rare intervals, and it was marvelous. I had a 35 year old Calvados in Paris that was
in the same league, but that would doubtless be more expensive if you could find a bottle of it.

I settle for much cheaper things in retirement.

Rodney Myrvaagnes NYC J36 Gjo/a

The sound of a Great Blue Heron's wingbeats going by your head

Quoted message said:

If Grappa is made from 'leftovers', why is it so expensive?

. . . and if sherry is just pickled wine, why is IT so expensive?

. . . and if single malt scotch is just burned sprouted barley mooshed up in water, fermented,
distilled, and aged in barrels, why is IT so expensive?

In fact, there are cheap grappas and expensive ones, just as there are cheap and expensive sherries
and scotches. All of these drinks evolved from technologies intended to salvage and add value to low-
value raw materials, and, in each case, developed features and values that reflect the accumulated
judgments and skills of generations of producers.

Grappa has a bouquet that DOES somewhat suggest chloroform, but for those who can leave prejudice
behind and appreciate subtleties keep returning to it. As to the difference between a $20 bottle and
a $180 one, similar silliness attends the world of wine trendies.

Neil

in article [email hidden], cristina at
siena_usREMOVE BEFORE [email hidden] wrote on 12/6/03 5:36 AM:

Quoted message said:

jmcquown said:

If Grappa is made from 'leftovers', why is it so expensive? Is this what I would have called in
the 1980's a 'yuppie trend' ?

The price is related to the distilling process, taxes and the fact that it is trendy as you wrote.
We can get decent grappa here for a reasonable price but when they ship it to the states and put
it in cute little bottles the price goes up ten fold. You can find real cheap grappa like Nardini
in the states but that stuff is real legal moonshine. The more expensive stuff is smooth, taken
from great vineyards and treated like liquid gold. Having a good brunello grappa after a wonderful
dinner where you drank brunello wine is really a perfect end to the meal.

Cristina

Info on Moving to Italy and Driving in Italy cristinasweb.comcristinasweb.comOpen ↗

I was going to say, the packaging is what drives up the price.

The only grappa I've had is the inexpensive stuff. Can you say paint thinner?!

"cristina" <siena_us(REMOVE BEFORE SENDING)@libero.it> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

jmcquown said:

If Grappa is made from 'leftovers', why is it so expensive? Is this what I would have called in
the 1980's a 'yuppie trend' ?

The price is related to the distilling process, taxes and the fact that it is trendy as you wrote.
We can get decent grappa here for a reasonable price but when they ship it to the states and put
it in cute little

bottles

Quoted message said:

the price goes up ten fold. You can find real cheap grappa like Nardini

in

Quoted message said:

the states but that stuff is real legal moonshine. The more expensive

stuff

Quoted message said:

is smooth, taken from great vineyards and treated like liquid gold.

Having

Quoted message said:

a good brunello grappa after a wonderful dinner where you drank brunello wine is really a perfect
end to the meal.

There's an interesting article in today's NY Times about a woman and her 3 daughters who were behind
the recent grappa trendiness.

--
Peter Aitken

Remove the [censored] from my email address before using.

notbob said:

jmcquown said:

If Grappa is made from 'leftovers', why is it so expensive? Is this what I would have called in
the 1980's a 'yuppie trend' ?

I'd say you nailed it. I payed about $20 (yes, cutsie bottle) for just a few ounces so I could see
what's what. I asked the young clerk why so expensive. He said, "I don't know. Tastes like
gasoline, to me". Took it home. Drank it. Yep ...gasoline!

SFBA foodies gush over it. Give me a martini.

nb

well... generally a good grappa doesn't need a cute bottle to sell. like for example for olive oil,
before buying a fancy botle you have to ask yourself why? why the fancy bottle. most probably in the
fancy bottle they put the bad stuff they wouldn't sell otherwise.

for grappa, like for anything else, you have to know what you are buying. and takes time and money.
i am no grappa expert, but i drank many times good grappas in italy, where for a good grappa you can
pay from 20-30$ and up (and no fancy bottle).

ciao, anna maria

www.annamariavolpi.com

Rodney Myrvaagnes said:

If it had been French, it would have been called 'Marc de [wherever]' not Grappa. Regular-size
bottles of grappa and marc cover a wide range of prices reflecting what they can get for them,
just like whiskey, cognac, etc. Usually age is a significant cost factor.

I tried Marc once. It must be an acquired taste. I like most liquors straight and thoroughly enjoy a
nice brandy or cognac. Drinking marc was a unique experience. I sipped it and attempted to savour
it. What I experienced was a sequence of sensations as it passed from one zone of my palate to
another, and none of them pleasant.

Peter Aitken said:

There's an interesting article in today's NY Times about a woman and her 3 daughters who were
behind the recent grappa trendiness.

Thanks for the head's up Peter. That was probably the Nonino family and they are the reason I came
to Italy 9 years ago. So I thank the patriarch every day!

Cristina Info on Moving to Italy and Driving in Italy cristinasweb.comcristinasweb.comOpen ↗

"Dave Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Rodney Myrvaagnes said:

If it had been French, it would have been called 'Marc de [wherever]' not Grappa. Regular-size
bottles of grappa and marc cover a wide range of prices reflecting what they can get for them,
just like whiskey, cognac, etc. Usually age is a significant cost factor.

I tried Marc once. It must be an acquired taste. I like most liquors

straight and

Quoted message said:

thoroughly enjoy a nice brandy or cognac. Drinking marc was a unique

experience.

Quoted message said:

I sipped it and attempted to savour it. What I experienced was a sequence

of

Quoted message said:

sensations as it passed from one zone of my palate to another, and none of

them

Quoted message said:

pleasant.

Before you make any more efforts to come across as a learned connoisseur you might do well to kearn
a littlle about the subject. Cognac *is* brandy.

--
Peter Aitken

Remove the [censored] from my email address before using.

"Peter Aitken" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

"Dave Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Rodney Myrvaagnes said:

If it had been French, it would have been called 'Marc de [wherever]' not Grappa. Regular-size
bottles of grappa and marc cover a wide range of prices reflecting what they can get for them,
just like whiskey, cognac, etc. Usually age is a significant cost factor.

I tried Marc once. It must be an acquired taste. I like most liquors

straight and

Quoted message said:

thoroughly enjoy a nice brandy or cognac. Drinking marc was a unique

experience.

Quoted message said:

I sipped it and attempted to savour it. What I experienced was a sequence

of

Quoted message said:

sensations as it passed from one zone of my palate to another, and none of

them

Quoted message said:

pleasant.

Before you make any more efforts to come across as a learned connoisseur you might do well to
kearn a littlle about the subject. Cognac *is* brandy.

Before you make any more efforts to come across as a complete ass, recognize that not all brandy is
cognac. It seems common to reference both.

Wayne

"Wayne Boatwright" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Peter Aitken" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

"Dave Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Rodney Myrvaagnes wrote:

>
> If it had been French, it would have been called 'Marc de [wherever]' not Grappa. Regular-
> size bottles of grappa and marc cover a wide range of prices reflecting what they can get for
> them, just like whiskey, cognac, etc. Usually age is a significant cost factor.

I tried Marc once. It must be an acquired taste. I like most liquors

straight and

Quoted message said:

thoroughly enjoy a nice brandy or cognac. Drinking marc was a unique

experience.

Quoted message said:

I sipped it and attempted to savour it. What I experienced was a sequence

of

Quoted message said:

sensations as it passed from one zone of my palate to another, and none of

them

Quoted message said:

pleasant.

Before you make any more efforts to come across as a learned connoisseur you might do well to
kearn a littlle about the subject. Cognac *is* brandy.

Before you make any more efforts to come across as a complete ass, recognize that not all brandy
is cognac. It seems common to reference both.

Wayne

Are you in a nitwit contest? I suspect you are way ahead. My point exactly - all Cognac is brandy,
but not all brandy is Cognac. Saying "I enjoy brandy and Cognac" is like saying "I enjoy wine and
Burgundy" or "I enjoy whiskey and Scotch." If you do not understand that then you are beyond hope.

--
Peter Aitken

Remove the [censored] from my email address before using.

"Peter Aitken" <> wrote in message > "Wayne Boatwright" < wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

"Peter Aitken" wrote in
> > "Dave Smith" wrote in message
> > >> Rodney Myrvaagnes wrote:
>
> >Grappa is Italian Brandy, It is made by distilling the grapes after

the wine is made, (and also wine) Different grapes give a different flavor, When I travel to Italy I
buy a bottle from the area I am in, I found that the grappa made in the upper Veneto region is much
harsher than the one made from the Brachetto grapes that grow in the Piemonte region, or the moscato
grapes. I usualy buy 20 bottles and I paid as little as $ 4.00 and as high as $
45.00, In Bassano they had some as high as $ 200.00, there I bought the one costing about $ 18.00,
you find the best buys in supermarkets. I like to sip the grappa in a warm glass, but most of it
I drink in a cup of coffee. ( caffe corretto )

Sergio

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>
> I tried Marc once. It must be an acquired taste. I like most liquors
straight and
> thoroughly enjoy a nice brandy or cognac. Drinking marc was a unique
experience.
> I sipped it and attempted to savour it. What I experienced was a sequence
of
> sensations as it passed from one zone of my palate to another, and none of> > > them> > >>
> pleasant.
>> >> > > > > Cognac *is* brandy.> > >> > >> >> > > > recognize that

not all brandy is cognac. > >

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Wayne

Are you in a nitwit contest? I suspect you are way ahead. My point

exactly -

Quoted message said:

all Cognac is brandy, but not all brandy is Cognac. Saying "I enjoy brandy and Cognac" is like
saying "I enjoy wine and Burgundy" or "I enjoy whiskey and Scotch." If you do not understand that
then you are beyond hope.

--
Peter Aitken

Remove the [censored] from my email address before using.

"Peter Aitken" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

"Wayne Boatwright" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Peter Aitken" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

"Dave Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
> Rodney Myrvaagnes wrote:
>
> >
> > If it had been French, it would have been called 'Marc de [wherever]' not Grappa. Regular-
> > size bottles of grappa and marc cover a wide range of prices reflecting what they can get
> > for them, just like whiskey, cognac, etc. Usually age is a significant cost factor.
>
> I tried Marc once. It must be an acquired taste. I like most liquors
straight and
> thoroughly enjoy a nice brandy or cognac. Drinking marc was a unique
experience.
> I sipped it and attempted to savour it. What I experienced was a sequence
of
> sensations as it passed from one zone of my palate to another, and none of
them
> pleasant.
>

Before you make any more efforts to come across as a learned connoisseur you might do well to
kearn a littlle about the subject. Cognac *is* brandy.

Before you make any more efforts to come across as a complete ass, recognize that not all brandy
is cognac. It seems common to reference both.

Wayne

Are you in a nitwit contest? I suspect you are way ahead. My point exactly - all Cognac is brandy,
but not all brandy is Cognac. Saying "I enjoy brandy and Cognac" is like saying "I enjoy wine and
Burgundy" or "I enjoy whiskey and Scotch." If you do not understand that then you are beyond hope.

No, but you must be. Many people make a distinction between Cognac and other brandies. Some people
enjoy one and not the other. Similarly, you are missing the point in your own example of whiskey and
Scotch. Some may enjoy Scotch and not other types of whiskey. To collectively say that they enjoy
whiskey would not be correct.

"Wayne Boatwright" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Peter Aitken" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

"Wayne Boatwright" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Peter Aitken" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

> "Dave Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
> "]news:[email hidden]...
>> Rodney Myrvaagnes wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > If it had been French, it would have been called 'Marc de [wherever]' not Grappa. Regular-
>> > size bottles of grappa and marc cover a wide range of prices reflecting what they can get
>> > for them, just like whiskey, cognac, etc. Usually age is a significant cost factor.
>>
>> I tried Marc once. It must be an acquired taste. I like most liquors
> straight and
>> thoroughly enjoy a nice brandy or cognac. Drinking marc was a unique
> experience.
>> I sipped it and attempted to savour it. What I experienced was a sequence
> of
>> sensations as it passed from one zone of my palate to another, and none of
> them
>> pleasant.
>>
>
> Before you make any more efforts to come across as a learned connoisseur you might do well to
> kearn a littlle about the subject. Cognac *is* brandy.
>
>

Before you make any more efforts to come across as a complete ass, recognize that not all
brandy is cognac. It seems common to reference both.

Wayne

Are you in a nitwit contest? I suspect you are way ahead. My point exactly - all Cognac is
brandy, but not all brandy is Cognac. Saying "I enjoy brandy and Cognac" is like saying "I enjoy
wine and Burgundy" or "I enjoy whiskey and Scotch." If you do not understand that then you are
beyond hope.

No, but you must be. Many people make a distinction between Cognac and other brandies. Some people
enjoy one and not the other. Similarly, you are missing the point in your own example of whiskey
and Scotch. Some may enjoy Scotch and not other types of whiskey. To collectively say that they
enjoy whiskey would not be correct.

Beyond hope it is. But, in a last effort to communicate, here's the correct way to say it: I enjoy
Cognac and other brandies.

Or perhaps: I enjoy Scotch but not other whiskeys.

I hope you get it. If not, there's nothing more I can do for you.

--
Peter Aitken

Remove the [censored] from my email address before using.

Please let's go back to the original question, which was ( Why is Grappa so Expensive when it is
made from lefovers ? ) I went to the local wine shop and asked for a bottle of Grappa, Five kinds,
Lowest price $37.00 Highest $ 78.00 I did not buy any because I travel to Italy and buy it there,
but there was one there (Zonin) for over $ 40.00 same bottle in Italy I paid 24,000 lire = less
than $12.00.

So, why does it cost so much here,

You can get STOCK brandy distilled in Italy for less than J Bavet Sergio

"Dave Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Peter Aitken said:

Yes of course I know that only some brandy is Cognac - did I say differently? No I did not. You
are using the classic "straw man"

technique

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where you cleverly demolish an argument that your opponent did not make.

I

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am delighted that you enjoy various brandies - me too - but when you

said

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Quoted message said:

that you enjoy brandy and Cognac it seemed to indicate that you were

unaware

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that Cognac is brandy. Would you way that you enjoy wine and Burgundy? Whiskey and scotch?
Cheese and cheddar? I think I have made my point.

You have made you point? No. You have made a pedantic fool of yourself.